Transforming Swimming Pool

Duration : 2012.10 - 2012.12

This project is primarily to hypothesis what a swimming pool is or can be, and if so what does this transformation mean to the urban city? The project is a prototype for this type of concept and the site chosen to implement this urban intervention is Harlem, New York. In specific the project dealt with the East-Harlem community and the low-renting locals who have limited access to these so called “public spaces”, and how students from Columbia can also participate, share, and interact with this common space.

The project is planned to function for both University students and Harlem residents. In order to compromise the different users, the building is to be optimized to the needs and desires of both parties. But, between these different occupants lies a gap in terms of racial and social status. Especially in relation to history, the public swimming pool has been a central issue relating segregation and discrimination; due to the fact that they are sharing water and using a space to undress/display the naked body. Unfortunately society lacks progress, and this issue is still valid in today’s developed cities. Weather we are talking about racial segregation, property, gentrification, individual interests, or social issues, the pool should not be privatized but hybridized into an urban element to interconnect locals/visitors in the cities common place. Lets create pool cities that allow both private and public moments, and in some cases these moments collide into hybridized situations and opportunities.

The Transforming Machine

The project consists of two systems. One is a linear public swimming pool and the other is ab individual private-pool machine. The private pool machine is attached alongside the main public swimming pool, which can move vertically from public to private conditions. The kinetics of the machine is activated through the request of the user. Furthermore, the circulation of the personal pool from entrance to a shower booth to a changing room is totally separated from the circulation of the main public swimming pool. Yet a link is created to enter in the public swimming pool from the personal pool module. Through this strategy, the user gets a right to choose their status in terms of private and social relationship.